VONGOLA DECIMO REWRITTEN
by Killer X-sensei
Summary: Under the orders of the Ninth, Sawada Tsunayoshi, the direct descendant of Primo and currently the leading candidate for the position of the Decimo, is sent to Namimori in order to fulfill one of the requirements needed for the succession of the position; and that is to have his very own Guardians. (Rewritten version of VD; slight ALL27)
1. Target One

**Vongola Decimo [Rewritten]**

Under the orders of the Ninth, Sawada Tsunayoshi, the direct descendant of Primo and currently the leading candidate for the position of the Decimo, is sent to Namimori in order to fulfill one of the requirements needed for the succession of the position; and that is to have his very own Guardians. (Rewritten version of VD; slight ALL27)

**Disclaimer: **I don't own KHR or any of its characters.

**Warning: **Swearing, Violence, OOC…

**Pairing: **Slight/ Hints of ALL27

**A/N: **A rewritten version of "VONGOLA DECIMO"

**~X~X~X~**

**TARGET ONE: ****[PROLOGUE]**

**~X~X~X~**

"Tsunayoshi-kun, I'm afraid that we are running out of time..."

Under the dim lights of the office, Timoteo struggled to see through the unreadable facade that the young teen sported with difficulty.

The 14-year-old teenager chose to remain decidedly silent as he kept his gaze transfixed on the ring he had on his middle finger, his mouth kept in a firm, fixed line. His posture was tense and his dark brown locks casted a dark shadow over his eyes, further making it inevitably strenuous for the Ninth who usually and normally had a hard time reading into what the brunette was thinking.

The brunet then slowly lifted his head up to evenly met Timoteo's gaze after what seemed to be a few minutes of deafening silence, his soft coffee-colored eyes abruptly flickering into a color of bright amber.

The Ninth couldn't help but feel slightly apprehensive with the knowledge that the look on his grandson's face definitely wasn't a look that said he was completely pleased with what he had just heard.

"…Isn't it a little bit too early, Ninth?"

Tone so gentle yet so sharp; it was the same type of tone you would hear from a forgiving individual who usually regarded everyone patiently and kindly with an amiable smile. It was just that lurking beneath that kindness and gentleness was the piercing and scorching heat of dangerous brutality and cruelty.

Hearing that tone being so casually used upon him, Timoteo was given no other chance but to nod his agreement.

"Bloodshed concerning the Vongola is simply unavoidable. With the knowledge that my retirement and your succession is coming close, the opposing Familgias who never did find the ways of the Vongola likeable would soon be striking in an attempt to bring the Familgia down in order to rise to the top. You, as a candidate for the position of the Tenth, should know this better than anybody else…"

The brunet simply remained unresponsive, even with the pointed stare that Timoteo was giving him.

"Tsunayoshi-kun… I don't mean to pressure you but the rings need its bearers as soon as possible in order for you to successfully inherit the position. Time is running out and you just can't be sure if this or that will still be too early or too late…"

The teenager's eyes narrowed into dangerous slits.

"I'm not pressured at all, Ninth," He clarified with an uncharacteristically solemn tone. "I also know that there's no more time, especially since we never know when you would be incapable of holding the position for the head of the Vongola. However, with the Todd Familgia's declaration of war against the Vongola, I simply can't leave the headquarters."

Timoteo sighed.

"Reborn will soon be coming back from his assignment in France and the CEDEF will be willing to help... Besides, Tsunayoshi-kun," The 70-year-old man looked forlornly at his grandson. "I still have the strength to fight; I might be standing right before Death's door, but this old man won't be going down without a fight."

"Please stop being so reckless," The brunet reprimanded with a shake of his head. "As your grandson and as the leading candidate, I have the responsibility to ensure the safety of the Familgia; you yourself included. I am very confident in Reborn's skills, especially since he holds the title of being the strongest among the strongest... but..."

His amber eyes gleamed.

"...My intuition warns me of an upcoming danger."

Timoteo's head snapped up in surprise, his warm brown eyes widening slightly in an evident show of alarm at the sudden confession.

"An upcoming danger?" He repeated.

"Like I told you, Ninth," The young candidate stated with a frown on his face. "I am very hesitant of leaving this place. Something is bound to happen and heading for another country with this knowledge is..."

"..."

There was silence.

Well, that was until the Ninth suddenly spoke.

"If that's the case, why not face it like you usually do?"

The younger of the two raised an eyebrow in response.

"Certainly, Ninth, you can't possibly be _encouraging_ me to act recklessly with regards to my assignment in Japan?"

The Ninth's only response was to chuckle softly.

The brunet's eyes gradually faded out into dark brown as he shook his head disbelievingly.

"I understand… I'll be going to Japan tomorrow as you have asked, Grandfather."

**TBC.**


	2. Target Two

**~X~X~X~**

**TARGET TWO: [The Masked Child]**

**~X~X~X~**

**A/N: A filler chapter..? Oops? ^^"**

**~X~X~X~**

Those who have been fortunate enough to be granted with the opportunity to personally participate in a meeting with the Ninth would remember the sight of a young child dutifully and attentively trailing behind him, sporting a blank porcelain mask that held no holes and a formal black suit. The only visible thing about the young child was his wild and untamed dark brown hair, the rest of him being obscured by either his clothing or the mask.

It was a little unnerving, to say the least, for several reasons.

Standing just beside the Ninth, serving as his only companion for the meeting with no one else to back him up proved that the amount of trust given by the Ninth on the child was large and immeasurable; that fact in itself somewhat indicating that the child must have been powerful and skillful enough to be trusted by the Ninth with his own life. His presence was subtle and mostly unnoticeable, if one were to seriously think about it, given that it was the Ninth who does most of the talking for the Vongola. However, when the Ninth happens to ask for the opinion of the child, the masked individual seems to be greater and bigger than everybody else within the room, his actual appearance aside.

Though the child rarely speaks, those who had heard him do so would claim that there was a certain 'something' in his voice and choice of words that would lead you into believing that what he was saying was right; an authoritative quality that was intimidating in a certain manner, you might say. His words were wise and sensible, further proving that in spite of his appearance, he was a mature adult in the inside; the very same type of person who you wisely shouldn't underestimate or misjudge upon first glance.

With that being said, at this point, many people had come into the conclusion that a shadow looms and lurks right behind the Vongola's current leader, serving as the Familgia's guardian and barrier for the dangers that would attempt to pierce through their defense.

A shadow that protects, as the rumors have come to say.

Of course, with such intriguing news spreading within the underworld, it was utterly inevitable for the people to raise some questions with regards to the child's real identity out of curiosity. They never did refer to him in any name and Timoteo simply glances at the child in a way of calling him… he was practically nameless and faceless.

"You'll come to know soon…" Timoteo would always say with a smile on his face; the type of smile you just _cannot _read into.

Confusing as it was, there was a tone of finality within Timoteo's statement, therefore ending the conversation just right there without much effort. From then on - through some unspoken rule -, asking anything personal about the 'Masked Child' (as they have dubbed him) was a taboo. Most especially when they were in the presence of the Ninth and the Masked Child themselves.

...

...

...

A few years later, they had come to notice the physical manifestation of the child's entire body. There were doubts on the child's gender, of course, given that the child was exceptionally graceful and sharp with every movement that he makes and that his voice could easily be mistaken for both genders. However, witnessing his growth had them realizing that the masked child was, indeed, a male.

His tone, though mellow and gentle, can drop into a lower octave; something that happens when the discussions overstep some certain boundaries. His movements, though graceful and quick, were sharp and deadly; something that would be noticed as he walks alongside the Ninth. His posture, though flawless and straight, was on-guard for any unforeseen or unexpected danger that might come by their way. His words, though softly spoken and simple, held wisdom and authority that unknowingly draws everybody who listens to him to oblige to his commands.

All in all, the young child had made quite a terrifying combination.

What scared them even more, however, was how the aforementioned child's potential and capabilities were limitless.

His growth could be seen during their meetings which usually takes place monthly or once in every two months. One proof would be how quickly the child seemed to have finally composed and collected himself by not omitting something of pure intimidation or danger whenever he walks or enters the meeting room where the Ninth and his allies would commence their discussion about the current state and condition of their respective Familgias. The way he also spoke diplomatically during the course of the said meetings reflected the training he was apparently going through with tactful speeches in front of people who are very difficult to persuade.

It was really a little hard to believe how this child was _still _continuously growing.

If he was already_ that_ much talented at his current age, they couldn't imagine just how much further he'll improve in the future.

...

...

...

For several years, rumors of the loyal, prodigious shadow attentively obeying only the Ninth Boss of Vongola spread like wildfire within the underworld, alerting those who hold interest on powerful individuals. The number of attempts of assassination on the Ninth has grown even larger in comparison to before and many people were starting to worry and feel anxious about the leader of Vongola. Though they did respect and acknowledge the implications or the presumed indications of the child's actions with regards to his responsibility as the bodyguard of the Ninth, they really haven't seen the child fight personally yet and they needed to know the child's _full _capabilities.

And so, as if fate have listened to their pleas, during their monthly meeting within the Vongola Headquarters, an opposing Familgia has successfully infiltrated the entire headquarters.

The key factor to their success in the infiltration is the large amount of people within their Familgia and their developed and advanced weaponry and arsenal. Though the Vongola itself isn't far from behind, it was a real question as to why it seemed like the Ninth had let them infiltrate _willingly_.

Panic surged through the leaders of the Famiglias attending the meeting, most - if not all - were feeling anxious and apprehensive, knowing that if the Vongola was currently being attacked, then their very own headquarters was also facing the risk of being attacked at that very moment. However, their alliance had proved escaping or leaving the place when the headquarters of the Vongola was being attacked useless and impossible.

Admist all the chaotic confusion, the Ninth remained seated in his seat with a cup of coffee resting within his grasp, warm brown eyes showing not a single hint of shock or alarm, even with the loud explosions that they could all hear from outside the room. Guns were fired, explosives detonated and shouts were heard.

Still, the Ninth made not a single move.

_"How can you sit so calmly sitting when your headquarters is being attacked, Nono!?"_

_"Are you trying to kill us all!?"_

_"Nono, with all due respect, neglecting to protect your headquarters is simply irresponsible of you!"_

The Ninth had gently set down the cup on the table and calmly gazed at everybody within the room, the playful and cunning look in his wise eyes telling them that he knew something that they don't.

_"Why, there's no need to fret."_ He had calmly stated, ignoring the doubtful and anxious stares he was getting. _"However, if I were to say so honestly, our roles are quite reversed. You have managed to let that **young child **slip out of your sights."_

He smiled.

_"You are irresponsible to have done that, wouldn't you agree?"_

And indeed, as they had scanned the entire office, the masked child was nowhere to be found. Eyes darted back and forth in hopes of finding the child, only to end up staring at the confident smile that the Ninth wore.

_"There will be no casualties in our side and we have ensured the safety of your respective Familgias. As for the mess outside..."_

His eyes sharply turned towards the door and all the occupants of the room were forced to follow.

_"I'm sure my successor and inheritor would have been capable of handling that alone."_

Silence fell.


	3. Target Three

**~X~X~X~**

**TARGET THREE: [MYSTERY BOX]**

**~X~X~X~**

**A/N: I'm sorry for the crappy quality of this chapter... ^^" I have written this 4 hours past midnight and usually, i slept at 7:00 pm... *wince***

**~X~X~X~**

To be honest, Tsuna doesn't know how long he had simply been standing there, just gaping and gawking disbelievingly at the tall building looming over him.

All he knew was that his jaw was beginning to turn numb from being opened so widely in a mixture of shock, surprise, dread and horror.

…

A few hours prior to his arrival in Japan, the Ninth had kindly offered Tsuna a piece of paper containing a certain address where he shall be – if ever he decides to accept the offer - staying in Namimori temporarily during the time spent on the completion of his assignment.

Of course, at the beginning, Tsuna was a little surprised, knowing that his grandfather rarely provides support whenever he is working on an assignment; especially one that is crucial to his growth and development as a leader.

Then again, it would be utterly disrespectful of him to blatantly reject the given offer, especially when the said offer came from the Ninth himself.

Therefore, the predictable outcome was:

Tsuna had no other choice but to gratefully accept his grandfather's offer.

(…Well, it's not like he had much choice, anyway.)

Anyhow, the brunet was fairly confident that his grandfather would prioritize **secrecy and stealth** during the completion of this one particular assignment since the time of his grandfather's retirement and his succession was drawing near. Unconsciously slipping up or revealing his real identity to the civilians or the public in general would definitely be a bad decision not only for himself, but for the entire Familgia. (Do take note of the emphasized words…)

Therefore, Tsuna really didn't think of the possibility of his grandfather (read: Reborn) having ulterior motives for handing him the address where he would be temporarily living in Japan (_after all, with so many countries and towns to choose from, why pick that **specifically**, right?)_.

On the other hand, unlike the first case with regards to his grandfather's unexpected offer, Tsuna _did_ notice the fact that there were people sent to follow after him without his consent and approval; even worse, apparently, they weren't working for his grandfather, either.

Having experienced being trailed or followed by some people in the past for the sake of his training, it wasn't that difficult for Tsuna to form some guesses inside his mind as to who they could be and what they're after for; the said guesses ranging from the merits that could be received from trailing after him, to gaining information on his progress in training for unknown reasons that would definitely be involving him in the near future. Regardless, it's still a little hard to say, seeing as to how his pursuers (or who he assumed his pursuers to be) weren't directing any ill-intent towards him nor were they trying to do anything harmful to him.

In any case, Tsuna decidedly chose to ignore them. For now.

They could be dealt with _once_ they had finally decided to interfere with his business.

Quite enthusiastically, may he add…

…

Well…

…Reborn must be _really_ rubbing off on him.

…

…Err, back to the main point of this entire explanation…

Tsuna had confidently believed that his grandfather would actually be very **weary and cautious** with the progress of this one particular assignment, considering that if things were to flow and unfold as smoothly as they sincerely hoped it to be, then this would really be the last and final assignment Timoteo can appoint to his grandson as the Ninth Boss of the Vongola Familgia.

…or that's what Tsuna had honestly thought but…

Standing in front of the house where his temporary shelter was presumably built in, Tsuna was at a complete loss on what to do and think of since the house – which seemed more like a mansion – was… how does he put it; not at all discreet (?).

(…Well, he just really couldn't come up with anything to relate the entire thing to the words **'discreet', 'secrecy', 'stealth', 'weary' and 'cautious' **in general.)

In fact, it seems to be quite the opposite of it.

On the other hand, the building itself wasn't as extravagant as the mansions he had lived in within Italy or as exaggerated as their Familgia's headquarters. It was just that it stood out too much for his liking and that a normal apartment would have been a better place, seeing as to how Tsuna _does_ plan on living _alone_.

_'Then again…'_

The 14-year-old teenager palmed his face in aggravation.

Being the kind-hearted person that he was, he _just couldn't_ bring himself to ask his grandfather to provide him a more _discreet_ house to live in, seeing as to how the Ninth actually _bothered_ to provide him this house.

Heaving a sigh of defeat, Tsuna dragged his luggage towards the gate, somewhat aware that just like all the other times… he had no choice.

Shaking his head inwardly, the brunet pushed the gates open and proceeded into entering his new home.

…

…

…

"…For some odd reason, I'm starting to think that Reborn has something - if not **everything** - to do with this."

Expensive looking furniture, crystal chandelier, a furnace, and collections of different antiques originating from several different countries…

By now, Tsuna was really considering the idea of simply renting an apartment.

Everything was done and placed exquisitely and delicately, therefore proving that his grandfather definitely (purposefully) exerted some effort into this place for his sake (read: his misery and Reborn's amusement). The furniture were polished clean, the floor itself was beaming under the fluorescent lights, the curtains were neatly arranged, _and_ the the furniture were all _strategically _positioned in a way that would benefit him in case an attack were to take place.

Sighing inaudibly, he turned around and assessed the entire first floor with sharp eyes, instinctively storing each and every single detail within his mind in the form of a makeshift map. He purposefully decided to ignore the fact how everything appeared and seemed to be expensive and luxurious.

After giving the entire first floor a few rounds, the brunet quickly decided to climb the staircase, inadvertently hoping that through some sort of fortune or luck, the second floor would appear to be normal unlike the first floor.

…Well, hah.

He can hope.

Normality can _never_ be found in the Vongola, after all.

"…Why in the name of Primo are there _so many rooms_ on the second floor?" Tsuna asked dreadfully as he hastily scrambled up to inspect the contents of each room present within the second floor.

All rooms were plain and simple looking in the inside, yet the fact that there were _beds_ horrified Tsuna, already knowing that having so many rooms in one house meant that he'll soon be having guests that will be occupying said empty rooms. He really doesn't know who they'll be or why they'll have to, but if by chance this happens to do something with his current assignment, then Tsuna would really finally gather the guts to ask his grandfather if it will be alright to rent an – _simple, plain, small, cheap_ - apartment soon.

Languidly choosing a random room to temporarily refer to as his 'own room' with his entire posture hunched over like a lifeless being, Tsuna unwillingly dragged his luggage with him as he pushed the door open weakly, finally intending to take a rest to recover from the shock at the changes within his environment.

The room he had entered was, predictably so, just like all the other rooms present within the second floor; a bed was fixated at the corner of the room, a window situated just a few ways towards its left and a desk was neatly positioned in the middle of the room with a few cushions as its seat. Another larger desk stood at the other side of the room and a spacious-looking wooden closet was fixated next to it. It appeared to be just like your ordinary apartment, if you were to only disregard that there were several more of these rooms within the house.

Gently dropping the black duffle bag that contained most of the important things needed for his assignment at the edge of his bed and pulling the trolley beside him, Tsuna sat on the bed casually, ignoring the way how his entire body practically groaned in exhaustion and fatigue.

He still had a few things to do before he completely surrenders to the sweet promise of deep sleep.

The brunet removed his shoes so that he could move back further on the bed while pulling the black duffle bag on his lap, swiftly unzipping it to retrieve a certain material that he had brought with him from Italy, eyes seeming to gleam with anticipation and a slight hint of apprehension.

His grandfather and Reborn were evidently reluctant during the meeting a few days back when they finally admitted that there was something that they had to give right before he left for Japan. There was something with the way that they uneasily shared a glance, Tsuna admitted to himself, when he received the black box with the crest of the Vongola embedded on its front. It was like they were handing him something that would cost not only his life, but the lives of the people around him…

Reflexively tensing when he felt the familiar rectangular shape of the box he had been looking for within the depths of the bag, the brunet slowly took it out from the black duffle bag with an expression of slight unease. The box's outer appearance seemed to be normal and it merely served its purpose by holding whatever its contents were.

But it was _what the contents were_ that made the box itself _not normal._

Slowly setting it down in front of him, Tsuna then tried to remember the instructions given to him by his grandfather and his mentor.

…

…

…

_"Tsuna, remember, this box is very important."_

_ Reborn had said with an unusually somber expression on his face, eyes narrowed into dangerous slits as he handed the brunet the box. "If you have to sacrifice your life to protect it, then do so without any hesitation. That's how important the contents of this box are."_

_Tsuna dutifully nodded._

_"There will come a time where you will have to use **that** **technique** you had been working on a few years back on the contents of the box. Since you have your weapons with you for your assignment, I'm temporarily allowing you and giving you permission to use the weapons that I have prevented you from using for the past few months." The man tilted his head to the side as he casually crossed his arms above his chest. "But remember; be cautious with dealing with the contents of the box; though not fragile, we can't risk destroying them."_

_Tsuna nodded in agreement as he slipped the box inside the black duffle bag he had brought with him._

_"And another warning, Tsunayoshi-kun," Timoteo suddenly added. "I am aware that your training with Reborn-kun has gone along well for the past decade… I also know that you can take care of yourself without going into **that mode** much often… However, Tsunayoshi-kun, for your own sake, please don't use the contents of the box, alright? Using the contents of the box would exponentially increase not only your power, but the risk of straining your body, reverting it to its severely weakened state where breathing would be a difficulty in itself."_

_Reborn nodded to himself as he listened to Timoteo and also gave his student a pointed glare._

_"If you can handle yourself just fine against me in a one-on-one battle without the help of the bullet or the pills, or just **that mode** in general, then don't rely on it. I know that you have gotten used to the aftereffects of going into **that mode** but we can't take any risks, considering how the contents of that box would also be endangered if you did."_

_"…I understand." Tsuna reluctantly answered._

_As if reading just what Tsuna was thinking of, Reborn shrugged nonchalantly as he turned to leave._

_"Don't worry; you'll know what to do as soon as you see what's inside the box."_

…

…

…

"You… You **_can't _**be serious, Reborn…!"

Chocolate-colored eyes widened in surprise and horrified realization upon seeing the contents of the box, color instantly being drained away from his face when he realized what exactly Reborn and his grandfather was asking him to do. It was a little shocking and surprising, honestly speaking, to suddenly see _these-_…

…Shaking his head, Tsuna closed the box with trembling fingers, knowing that it isn't the time yet. There will come a time where he will be taking action with the involvement of the contents of this box, but for now, the brunet's real focus rests on his assignment. Not to mention that there were _other things _that he has to take care of.

Like…

Glancing at the brown folder peeking out of the opening of the black duffle bag, Tsuna subconsciously reached out for it and grabbed it, eyes skimming through the contents of the papers speedily with his eyebrows furrowed together. After a few moments of doing nothing but just that, Tsuna groaned and carelessly dropped the folder on the bed in the favor of getting a bath. No use pondering over it right now; he still has some – no matter how short or little – time, after all...

As the doors closed, one would see the folder opened in a certain page, three words standing out on its parched surface:

…

…

…

"**NAMIMORI MIDDLE SCHOOL"**

**TBC.**


	4. Target Four

**A/N: **So... along with editing and changing pieces of stuff from here and there, I'm also making each chapter longer... *cheers* 0 So, err... this might be weird but while editing and changing every single thing, I come across certain parts where I remember what I was thinking while writing that part. And then, much to my dismay, it doesn't end up like it does. (Q A Q) I'm really trying my best but I just want to know, what do you think of how the entire thing is going? Am I doing bad? good? okay? messed up? *tears up* (TT A TT) Feel free to tell me!

**IMPORTANT NOTE: **As I have said in the previous version of this story, Oregano is not an OC. She made a brief appearance in the anime (around the part where the Ninth was kidnapped) and so, please excuse the OOC-ness... I really hadn't seen her that much so...

**ANYWAY, HERE'S TARGET FOUR!**

**~X~X~X~**

**Target Four: [Namimori Middle School]**

**~X~X~X~**

Nezu Dohachiro had been - quite honestly - looking forward to this day as the new (temporary) Principal of Namimori Middle School, the former Principal having passed away a week ago due to a fatal alignment. Of course, at the beginning, there was an uproar within the faculty with the knowledge that the parents might feel doubtful of letting their children remain in the school, now that the Principal has passed away. Predictably so, the entire faculty of Namimori Middle School then held a discussion over who should temporarily take over the place of the Principal for the time being while waiting for the decision of the deceased principal's family. At the end of the discussion, they all came to the agreement that it will be Nezu who shall be temporarily taking over the position of the Principal for the sake of the school and the students.

He was the one who seemed to be the best for the position, after all.

Of course, Nezu was all but pleased with the final decision of the faculty. He was sort of hoping that things would look better for him since he will soon be the principal of Namimori Middle School; a prestigious school known for its discipline and orderliness. Who wouldn't be contented or satisfied with that, right?

That was why when a blond-haired woman sporting a black suit suddenly barged inside his office with a gun in hand, Nezu was all but certain that his blissful dream of having a contented life would never be attained; not with _these _unexpected turn of events.

**~X~X~X~X~**

"You are Nezu Dohachiro, correct?" The blond-haired woman asked with a tone of authority, her fuchsia colored eyes flashing dangerously.

It was to be expected that Nezu wasn't able to answer properly due to the shock of seeing a _gun_ and a woman in a _black suit_ (people wearing black suits while wielding guns are like those bad guys in the movie, after all, right?), so he really can't be blamed for that. However, when the woman pulled the trigger - the bullet whizzing past his ear _precisely _2 inches away -, that was when Nezu finally snapped out of his frightened stupor in favor of actually registering the situation inside his head.

A woman was inside his office.

The woman was in a black suit and holding a gun.

A gun.

The gun was real.

The gun was bloody real and she shot at him.

She's looking for Nezu Dohachiro.

She's looking for him.

Final conclusion: He was going to be killed.

Nezu paled.

"Answer me. I didn't come here to fool around." The woman commanded.

Sensing the sheer hostility being directed towards him, he nodded shakily, his eyes wide and complexion pale.

Of all the things that could ever happen to him, this really wasn't at the top of his list. He had never imagined that there will come a time where he will actually be seeing a real gun; a gun which is aimed solely _at him_.

The woman then gracefully approached him with the gun properly and steadily pointed at his head, the unforgiving look in her cold eyes telling Nezu that she really wouldn't hesitate to kill him if he made a wrong move and chose the wrong words.

To his surprise, she spoke.

"Today, a few minutes from now, a teenager named Sawada Tsunayoshi will be beginning to attend this school without officially handing in some of the documents required for the enrollment. However, to his knowledge, the enrollment has been taken care of. Therefore, you are asked," She stressed the word 'asked' by dangerously tightening her grip on the weapon she had in her hand. "…to allow him to attend this school without registering anything about him publicly in the school's records." She stated, her glasses flashing as she did nothing to back up or put the gun away.

"B-but, that doesn't-" Nezu tried to counter, knowing that such things are against the rules and that they shall follow the proper documentation and process to enroll the student in the school no matter how important the students may be.

The woman did not even bat an eyelash as she pressed the gun on his forehead.

How she had crossed the distance between them in a blink, he really doesn't want to know.

"That doesn't mean I can carelessly walk into this office and just tell you not to follow the normal procedures," She continued emotionlessly as she nudged her eyeglasses above the bridge of her nose. "Well then, tell me, Nezu Dohachiro," The woman said. "Will you really be able to do anything with the knowledge that if you ever decided to go by what you are planning on doing, you will be going against the Vongola itself?"

…What…?

…Vongola…?

…As mean **_the Vongola Familgia_**!?

Stunned speechless, Nezu just stared at Oregano with a slightly dubious yet frightened look.

Without a second thought, Oregano _pushed_ the edge of the gun on his forehead harshly, therefore pushing his head back on the seat as a result.

"Now, do not let me repeat myself for the third time. A teenager by the name of Sawada Tsunayoshi will be arriving a few minutes from now without handing in any official documents and you are **asked** to not record his profile in the school's records."

Nezu fearfully gripped at the chair he was sitting on; sweat positively rolling down his cheek when the woman smiled humorlessly.

"Neglecting to follow what I asked you to do would lead to your immediate death. It doesn't matter where or when; the second you decide not to follow me, you'll find yourself dying." She warned, quickly stepping back and keeping the gun away as if she hadn't just been there, half a second away from putting a hole through his head.

And then, just like that, the woman walked away and left the office.

There was nothing but silence as Nezu remained in his seat, gaping, sweating and trembling as he looked at the bullet that was embedded on the glass behind him.

With a shuddering breath, Nezu closed his eyes.

"D-dear God, what on earth have I gotten myself into…?"

_**~X~X~X~X~**_

Meanwhile, in Tsuna's new home...

**~X~X~X~X~**

The 14-year-old teenager casually raked his fingers through his dark brown locks as he gave one fleeting glance towards his reflection on the large mirror positioned just beside his closet, honestly not at all caring how he would look like or appear to be on the outside, given that his intention was _not_ to stand out.

His dark brown locks were untamed and wild as usual while a portion of his waist-length strands was tied loosely with a silver ornament that secretly held several functions that wouldn't normally be expected from a simple accessory while two pins held his long bangs a little to the right. For safety precautions, Tsuna also wore (black) contact lenses with the knowledge that at certain moments, his eyes unconsciously and unintentionally flicker between amber and brown; a feat that usually can't be achieved by any normal person.

Aside from that, he also kept some weapons and tools hidden at each and every part of his body just in case anything happens: such as the wires that are capable of cutting through skin under the guise of a simple necklace, a small oval rock (attached to the hairpins) that contains a certain type of gas where those who aren't immune to it will be immobilized for a certain period of time, the small daggers which were capable of producing flames – though just a small amount, but still considerably useful in terms of emergencies – as the hairpins that kept Tsuna's bangs away from his line of vision, the mini-bombs hidden somewhere at the edge of his pants, the small yet dangerously sharp knives discreetly hidden right under his shoes and many more which will take the whole place of this chapter if discussed.

Well, to summarize it, Tsuna did look _slightly_ ordinary; the fact that he's practically a walking arsenal aside.

Grabbing his school bag which sat by his feet, the brunet gave a short glance at his wristwatch and he paled considerably when he realized that he dawdled a little _too_ long to the point that he had approximately 9 minutes left before school starts.

And the school was a fifteen-minute walk away from where he was.

At that particular second, the entire neighborhood faintly heard someone cry:

"I thank all the Gods in existence above for not letting Reborn come with me to Japan!"

_**~X~X~X~X~**_

Nezu might appear to be calm and collected at the exterior, but in the inside, he was literally bouncing off the walls of his mind, pissing his pants, and crying in despair.

He honestly had thought that the encounter with that scary woman was some sort of joke… however; he was forced to change his mind when he distinctly heard the sound of something eerily clicking in the shadows whenever he made a move to approach someone with regards to said encounter.

One didn't have to be academically adept to know what it was.

It was a gun.

Hiding the trembling of his fingers by tightly gripping the books he had in his arms and gritting his teeth, he quickened his pace, aware that no matter how much he tried to run away or escape, the woman would always be trailing after him like his very own shadow.

Taking in a deep breath, the bespectacled man stopped right in front of the door which leads him to his classroom; the very same class that was dubbed to be the most unruly and chaotic of all the classes in Namimori. It was quite an odd classroom, really, since the students studying in this class were of varying ages and personalities. If all these students had anything similar at all, that would be the fact that they exceed in certain fields; academically or physically… it doesn't matter which one or if it's none of those. As long as they surpass the definition of normality, then they are a part of this class.

**Class 1-A**

Shaking off his thoughts, Nezu was about to open the door when something shuffled – therefore catching his attention - from the corner of his eye.

Had Nezu been any less of the man he was, he would've screamed like a little girl.

…The paranoia must have _really_ gotten to him if he was _a breadth's away_ from screaming.

There, beside him, stood a petite and slender teenager with long dark brown hair and dark black eyes, smiling timidly (more like grimacing) with her eyes darting uneasily towards the classroom and Nezu himself. Her unanticipated appearance aside, she appeared to be a normal teenager.

However, Nezu abruptly paused and tensed when he noticed one thing.

…Why was she wearing a **_boy's uniform_**?

"Uh, a-are you Nezu Dohachiro-sensei…?" The teenager asked timidly with a strained smile.

Nodding slowly, he cleared his throat and gave her a once over before asking.

"If I may ask, I haven't seen you around before… and young lady, why are you wearing a boy's uniform? Have we given you the wrong set?"

The brunette blinked, as if she hadn't expected the question. She looked down at her uniform and looked back up at Nezu with a raised eyebrow.

"Excuse me sir, but I'm a boy."

Nezu stared.

"No really, I'm a boy. I'm Sawada Tsunayoshi; the new student."

Then realization struck.

_"Today, a few minutes from now, a teenager named Sawada Tsunayoshi will be beginning to attend this school without officially handing in some of the documents required for the enrollment. However, to his knowledge, the enrollment has been taken care of. Therefore, you are asked," She stressed the word 'asked' by dangerously tightening her grip on the weapon she had in her hand. "…to allow him to attend this school without registering anything about him publicly in the school's records." _

Accidentally biting his own tongue out of fear from the memory, Nezu stared at the teenager's face intensely.

"...Sawada Tsunayoshi." He repeated slowly and cautiously.

The brunet who was actually a boy and the cause of his misery nodded.

Without saying anything at all, he nodded back, indicating that the conversation ends there.

Nezu then straightened as he opened the door to enter the classroom, all the while trying to hide a wince at the glares and nonchalant gazes he received from his students - was it even legal to treat their teacher like that? -, a part of himself seeming to forget most of what had just occurred in the office from having to go through his regular routine.

Sighing explosively, he slammed his books and school record on the desk to catch their attention.

Or at least he _tried_ to.

"Good Morning, class." He greeted irritably, aware that not a single student has turned to look towards his way.

Well, if anything, as the class adviser of this – if not the most - disorderly class for a few months, Nezu learned one way to get their attention.

"We have a new student."

Short, blunt and straight to the point; that was how Nezu had every single student looking at him in the blink of an eye.

As if on cue, the door opened.

Tsuna came strolling in slowly – a little clumsily – with a sheepish smile, right hand up and scratching the back of his head in a show of his nervousness.

Or at least that's how it appeared to be.

"Err, I-I'm Sawada Tsunayoshi and… um, it's n-nice to meet you!"

Scratching his cheek awkwardly, he added in a softer voice.

"A-and I'm a boy, by the way."

**TBC.**

**...**

**...**

**...**

**A/N:... I can't believe I'm going with the "dame-tsuna" theme. ._.**

**Well, okay, here are the clarifications: **

**So as you can see, Tsuna is now in Namimori Middle. However, i****n order to blend in, Tsuna is acting like the dame-tsuna that he is in the anime... Where this came from, I have noooo idea. but it works! x'D**

**Second, Tsuna was naturally feminine-looking. With long hair... who wouldn't mistake him for a girl? ( . _ . )**

**Third, the actual plot begins at the next chapter because thats where everythng begins to move. like, the appearances of certain characters and stuff ^0^**

**Fourth, there might be confusion with regards to class 1-a and namimori middle as a whole. nezu wasn't lying when he said that namimori is known for its discipline. its just that in class 1-a is the class where the most... delinquent-ish (?) students have gathered (?) **

**fifth, the blond-haired woman _is_ oregano. im guessing you know why and what she had been doing right? (*hint* *hint* previous chapter *hint* *hint*) xD**

**so, yeah, please do tell me what you think of this chapter! if you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask!**


	5. Target Five: Part One

**~X~X~X~**

**TARGET FIVE: [THE UNEXPECTED NEWS AND ENCOUNTER: PART ONE]**

**~X~X~X~**

**A/N: ***pops-up out of nowhere* Heyyya! How are you all today? As for me, I'm very very very fine! *squeals* *jumps around*

*stops when she notices the readers' impatient stares*

*clears throat* err, time for serious business… *tries to sit properly in her chair*

I'm guessing that you might be wondering if Tsuna will keep the act of being "dame-tsuna" for the entire story… Ahaha, I like Tsuna because he's bad-ass... what's the point of hiding that bad-ass-edness? =w=

**NOTE:** Author's note at the bottommm!~

**Warning: **...violence? o_o?

**~X~X~X~**

"Ah, Reborn-kun… It's rare for you to drop by my office." Timoteo greeted with a bewildered expression on his face as he watched his grandson's mentor enter the office with a slow nod of greeting directed towards his way. From what he could see, the hitman was uncharacteristically quiet and rather… serious for whatever reason there may be.

At the back of his mind, the Ninth remembered that the Sun Arcobaleno usually visits his office only when there was something that they had to discuss; something that was (_always_) of utmost importance, most specifically regarding the Mafia or the Vongola. And to be honest, those times could easily be counted with just one hand. Seeing the Sun Arcobaleno suddenly appearing out of the blue with unknown intentions forced Timoteo into thinking that the infamous hitman came here with either something big to announce or a helpful suggestion to consider.

Either way, it just proved that there was something wrong.

There was nothing but silence for the first few moments and no matter how patient the Ninth has grown to become after many, _many _years of leadership, the slightest hint of impatience lingered at the back of his mind.

"As of recently," Reborn began in what seemed like an indifferent tone. "Rumors had spread that some convicts had successfully escaped the Vendicare Prison."

The Ninth wasn't able to hide the flinch that took over his body when he heard it and registered what Reborn was actually saying.

…That was – most certainly – not expected.

Not a single bit.

Carefully putting down the pen he had in a loose grasp in favor of focusing all his attention on the subject of their discussion, the Ninth leaned back on his seat with his eyes shut close and eyebrows furrowed together.

"…How is the Vongola involved?" He asked.

The Sun Arcobaleno answered softly in a low voice.

"My sources have said that the convicts were last seen in Japan."

Timoteo was wishing- begging the Gods up there above that Reborn wasn't implying what he _thinks_ he was implying. Intuition be damned, there was only one reason why Reborn would be using and choosing those words for his response.

Hell, he doesn't care if his intuition was _always _correct; he has to believe that right now, it isn't.

It _couldn't_ be.

**It just couldn't.**

Tightly clenching his fists, the Ninth urged the other to continue what he was saying with a nod of his own.

The Sun Arcobaleno silently stared at him for a few moments before doing what he was asked to do.

"Just a few minutes ago, it was confirmed that the convicts are using Kokuyo Land, an abandoned amusement park, as their temporary base in Japan. Apparently so, Kokuyo Land can be found within Namimori."

The Ninth was almost afraid to hear what will come after that.

"From what my sources have told me, they are currently planning on killing the heir of the Vongola Family; Sawada Tsunayoshi."

**~X~X~X~X~**

_'…They're unexpectedly few.' _Tsuna couldn't help but notice as he 'awkwardly' stood beside Nezu with his façade still intact, eyes discreetly scanning over the number of students occupying the classroom in a way that would simply seem like he was nervously trying to familiarize himself within this new environment. Of course, that made it seem completely believable since Tsuna was trying to leave the impression that he was just a foreigner who had never been to Namimori.

Going back to his current observation, he inwardly remarked that there were less than fifteen of them and some of them weren't even present as seen with how a few chairs were left unoccupied and empty.

_'…Either they are absent, or they're just skipping classes.'_ The 14-year-old teenager thought with a shrug inside. _'Not that it bothers me... It's just that if I was in their place, Reborn would shoot me dead.' _Pausing for a very short moment, Tsuna rephrased himself unconsciously. _'That is if if he doesn't strap bombs on me and keep each one exploding simultaneously, only to repeat the process for another 6 times- and then throw me buck naked at the top of the headquarters to stay there for 12 hours first.'_

(That actually happened to him when he was 9.)

"Class," Nezu said loudly. "This is Sawada-san's first time in Namimori so I am expecting you to be on your best behaviors. If I," _'As the temporary Principal of Namimori Middle School…' _Nezu mentally added. "…receive any complaints with regards to your behaviors from the other teachers **again**," Tsuna subtly gave him a questioning glance at the emphasized word. "I will be forced to hand you a punishment."

Silence met Nezu's statement.

Understanding that not much could be done with his students' uncooperativeness, the bespectacled man decided to finally tell where the will be seating; said seat coincidentally being positioned right beside the window at the corner of the room. The window wasn't as large as the ones that Tsuna had in the headquarters in Italy (hell, it doesn't even compare) but the mere knowledge that he was beside a window (read: a possible escape route) gave him some sort of reassurance.

Smiling and nodding politely, the headed towards his seat while being mindful and conscious of the way he walked and moved, knowing that some curious eyes had started following him as he headed to the aforementioned seat.

After finally settling properly in his chair, the 14-year-old gently dropped his school bag beside his desk and proceeded to stare at the direction of the board which to others, simply seemed like he was attentively listening to the lesson.

Unbeknownst to the onlookers and other students, Tsuna was just _staring _at it.

Not a single thing was going inside his head.

Without meaning to sound so arrogant and conceited, the young candidate was inwardly confident that there was no need to listen to the lesson currently being taught to them, mostly because he had gone through Reborn's high paced tutoring. He was a mere 10-year-old when he finally mastered all the complicated theories and formulas that were necessary to answer, complete and solve the problems that were supposed to be learned at an older age and Reborn, being Reborn, made sure to take advantage of the fact that he was really a very fast learner, be it academically or physically.

And so, to summarize it, Tsuna didn't have to worry about failing his grades; partly because it will be necessary for his "no-good" façade and mostly because he isn't fond of the idea of having to relive the days when Reborn used to drop him off the fourth floor while sporting nothing but his boxers whenever he says the wrong answer.

Inwardly sighing, Tsuna repressed the urge to smack his face in irritation.

That was definitely _not_ the best memory to remember.

Putting the terrifying memories of his training under his mentor aside, the focused more of his attention on his classmates who were now – thankfully – not looking at him. No matter how professional or experienced he was in terms of leadership, Tsuna didn't like being stared at; it – frankly speaking – gives him the creeps.

Slowly leaning his right elbow on the desk with his eyes still glued to the board so as not to rouse suspicions, the 14-year-old teenager casually slipped his right hand under his chin and began faking a contemplative expression.

As expected, not a single student looked at him.

Letting the corner of his lips slightly quirk upwards in a semblance of a smirk, he inwardly shook his head and proceeded to assess the potential of each student by using his hyper intuition to pinpoint those that exceed the standard of normality.

It was pretty easy, actually, since Tsuna had grown up doing this technique every so often back when he was still training with Reborn.

His shoulders suddenly relaxed, his back straightened, his eyes narrowed and his fingers twitched.

Underneath the black contact lenses that he wore, Tsuna's eyes grew amber.

_'Now, shall we begin?'_

**~X~X~X~X~**

"Shit, hurry up and catch up to him!"

"We can't let him escape again!"

"Remember, don't kill him! The Boss wants him alive!"

Explosions followed their exclamations and emerald green orbs gleamed with a certain sense of satisfaction at hearing the pained shouts and groans that followed after the merciless assault. However, that small hint of satisfaction immediately morphed into irritation when more men emerged from the area where he had thrown his explosives, said men already screaming profanities at the teenager with eagerness that shouldn't even be there in the first place, considering that they had been going at this for more than 5 hours straight. He was beginning to run out of stamina and in spite of being well-known for the limitless amount of weapons he hid right beneath his sleeve, even he doesn't know if he still had some explosives, which, apparently so, is not enough to work as a distraction for his pursuers.

Growling low in his throat, the teenager turned around the corner and forced his entire body to keep moving and running even when it was already aching and throbbing from the unbearable fatigue and exhaustion that it had to endure and bear.

"Fucking persistent bastards…" He swore. "Don't think that you're at an advantage simply because you outnumber me…"

Grinning haughtily, the teenager made another sharp turn just around the corner.

Right before him, standing proudly, was the building called Namimori Middle School.

**~X~X~X~X~**

The casually stretched his arms above his head while giving a pleased groan at finally being able to move around after practically three hours of doing nothing but sitting. Enduring those three hours had been hell for the young candidate who was quite used to having to move at each second, seeing as to how his mentor tended to fire his gun at him whenever said mentor feels the slightest bit of annoyance creep into his system.

Tsuna really doesn't know if it was just one of Reborn's odd and weird quirks or if Reborn had actually grown to see him as a target board.

"Maybe it's a bit of both," The muttered as he chuckled bitterly. "I find it easy to believe; especially since Reborn _is_ the type of person to wake a 7-year-old child using a defibrillator while innocently proclaiming that it was normal to do so."

Wincing at the mere memory, Tsuna sighed explosively.

"Hell, I didn't even know it _wasn't_ normal until I was 12!"

Continuing to walk at the languid pace he had set up after promptly leaving the room in the blink of an eye as soon as the bell rang with a slightly bitter expression, Tsuna found himself walking towards the back of the school which currently appears to be unoccupied and vacant. It was the perfect place to rest in, given that he really doesn't want to face the calculating eyes of the students of this place.

Professionalism be damned, it was _tiring_ to put up a façade in front of hundreds of people.

The was at the middle of taking his twelfth step when the sound of something rustling and cracking caught the attention of his keen ears. His entire frame tensed subtly and his expression immediately morphed into an expressionless look as he quickly turned around to find the source of the noise.

He didn't even manage to completely face the source of the commotion when he felt something roughly slam into his shoulder and really, will you be able to blame Tsuna for acting reflexively?

Just like a machine being told to operate automatically, Tsuna's slender fingers immediately reached out for the wires wrapped around his neck as his fingers danced into letting the prey fall into his trap, eyes holding not a single expression or emotion as he did so. Due to having used it carelessly without proper precautions and safety measures, the stronger the pulls on the wire, the more wounds he sustains from simply holding the weapon.

His eyes narrowed as he took in the silver-haired teenager kneeling right before him wrapped accurately within his wires that could end his life if ever he decided to foolishly make a wrong move, intuition flaring into life as he finally noticed the sound of thunderous footsteps approaching their direction. Glancing at the general direction of that sound, he looked back down at the teen kneeling right before him.

Taking a closer look, his eyes took in the wounds that were most certainly not caused by the wires he held in his grasp and the paleness of the teen who appeared to have been knocked unconscious upon the very moment they had collided. The unnamed teenager must have been really exhausted if he had managed to be knocked out just by simply being knocked into by someone with such a slender frame like Tsuna…

Loosening his tight pull on the wires, light and rationality gradually returned in Tsuna's lifeless eyes as he contemplated the possibility as to how he had been able to miss out on the presence of this silver-haired teenager to the point that he didn't notice he was there until he had bumped into him. The answer had quickly rung some bells inside Tsuna's mind as soon as he heard the footsteps get closer and the metallic scent of blood reach his keen nose.

_'The lack of killing or ill intent… is it?' _He asked himself as he slipped the wires carefully around his fingers and wrists. _'So the only thing that made me react was the scent of the blood that had already been pouring out of his wounds…'_

His eyes moved towards the footsteps which were approaching quickly around the corner.

_'Wounds… wounds that he had received right before I had carelessly bumped into him…'_

Tsuna's eyes flashed as the owners of the footsteps finally turned around the corner, therefore presenting the a good view of their overall appearance.

A large group of men sporting black suits while wielding several and varying types of guns greeted him, all but looking enraged and determined to capture the unconscious and bleeding teenager lying by his feet with a look of pure determination. It made quite the terrifying sight for anyone…

…For anyone except Tsuna that is.

Smiling amiably, Tsuna tilted his head to the right in an inquiring manner before motioning and gesturing towards the silver-haired teenager.

"Are you looking for him?"

Eyes looked and searched for the source of the voice and all men frowned distastefully at the sight of the scrawny looking female who apparently had a few screws loose for even daring to greet a group of men who definitely could kill or overpower her in a single moment.

…Not that they needed to know that Tsuna was actually a **male **who was trained by the infamous Sun Arcobaleno while bearing the name of the 'Masked Child' and holding the position of the leading candidate for the position of the tenth boss of the cruelest and strongest Familgia in the entire world.

…

…Yep, they really didn't need to know that.

…Definitely not.

Feigning a polite smile which came out as a strained grimace, one man stepped in front and laughed.

"A-ahaha! Y-Yes, yes, yes! W-we _are _looking for that boy, little girl."

Tsuna's eye twitched.

"S-so would you **kindly** step away from him and l-let us take him back to his home? Besides, it's very dangerous for an adorable girl like you to even talk to scary men like us!"

"…_An adorable girl like me…_?" Tsuna repeated slowly.

All men nodded enthusiastically.

Biting down the urge to mess everything up and just declare war on these men in the name of the Vongola, Tsuna wisely decided against it and instead walked forward with his lips morphing into a very cruel and sadistic smirk that, for obvious reasons, sent shivers running down the men's spines.

The smile was cold and unforgiving and for a very short moment, they briefly wondered if the orange flame that momentarily appeared on the teenager's forehead was just an illusion.

Gracefully twisting the wires around his fingers as he continued to walk forward, he began to speak.

"First of all, I'm sorry to disappoint you but I am a **_boy_**."

Screams of pain and agony reverberated within the entire area as the wires flew to every direction at an inhumane speed that made it impossible to escape or counter, the surface of the wires cutting deeply through their suits and skins, all weapons that they had in a tight grasp a few moments ago dropping on the ground helplessly as blood pooled on the ground. The brown blur that went around them just told them that their assaulter was, indeed, the very same 'adorable little girl' who was smiling so innocently just a while ago.

"Second of all, how can you expect anyone – even an **adorable little girl **– to simply disregard the fact that a bleeding person is currently dying right before their very eyes?"

Letting the bloodied wires fall to the ground, Tsuna stopped and frowned slightly.

"Third of all, no matter how you look at it, this person was obviously unwilling to 'come home' with you and your manner of dressing and acting suggests that you came from the Mafia."

Harshly pulling the long wire towards himself to gather it in and tie it back around his neck, the young candidate crouched down and gently carried the battered form of the silver-haired teenager with surprising ease.

"And lastly, you had made a great mistake by attempting to deceive my eyes and intuition. I happen to hate the Mafia as it currently is and I thought…"

Turning and walking away casually as he headed for the school clinic as stealthily as he could, he finished his statement in a very soft voice.

"…why not start with those who had presented the opportunity for me to do so?"

**TBC**

**A/N: **I separated the target five into two parts and the next part will be coming out next week (probably) ^^ Anyway, at least this time, I might update earlier because our exams are over (BANZAIII!) ~!

Now, for the annonymous reviews:

**Alice-in-Katekyo- **Ahaha, thank you very much! *gives virtual cookies* Err, as you can probably see, I'm struggling to write long chapters since I did get used to writing around the limit of 2-3-4 thousand words... *wince* *whispers* that's pathetically low, I know.. But as the story progresses, though not definite, the length of each chapters will increase by a few thousand words (maybe) ^^; As for the dialouge, yes I agree that it could use some work. Not writing for a few months and spending said months doing nothing but sleeping pretty much made it impossible for my writing to improve. It is just as of recently that I was able to... improve (?) my witing. For the pairings... I am set on giving hints of **ALL27**- hints that could also be taken as the brotherly intimate-type of thing ^W^

**27- **Ahaha, I just slipped the last part in a whim... x'D Tsuna being dame-tsuna for the whole story? Given his reputation in Italy and how he grew up, I think thats quite impossible... I mean, old habits die hard ^W^ As for being sociable, as the candidate for the position of the Vongola Decimo, Tsuna **should** be sociable. He isn't exactly sadistic or mean or evil or anything... It's just that he's a lot calmer and understanding towards dangerous things. Like, do you expect a person to remain as who he is after being trained by Reborn for **10 years**? O_O I don't really think so... Dino and Byakuran's appearance? ( *Q*) When will they appear...? Who knows? Maybe in the future? ( 0 )

Anyway, you will see more of Tsuna's kinder side on the next part of target five... I have this feeling that I'd been describing him as some brutal bastard who never gave a single care for anyone in this rewritten version.. *blanches*

See ya!


	6. Target Five: Part Two

**~X~X~X~X~**

**TARGET FIVE: [THE UNEXPECTED NEWS AND ENCOUNTER: PART TWO]**

**~X~X~X~X~**

Shamal cautiously closed the door behind him with a hesitant expression on his face, palm unbearably sweaty and posture unquestionably stiff and alarmed. His face was contorted into an expression that was a mix of dread and caution as he deliberately took slow steps towards the center of the entire place, eyes frantically searching for the familiar figure of _that person_ who had unexpectedly shown up right in front of the clinic, holding the bloodied and battered body of his ex-student – Gokudera Hayato - with a sheepish and pleading smile on his own bloodied face.

_It was very… surprising._

Taking in a deep breath, Shamal glanced at the wristwatch that he wore and took a brief look around the rooftop, ignoring the feeling of cold sweat trailing down his skin and the shudder that ran down his spine. As much as he didn't want to deal with this, he knew that he had to know why _that person_ will be here of all places.

"Thank you for coming, Shamal-sensei."

The man's head snapped towards his left and he jerked back in shock when he found the brunet standing calmly with an amiable smile on his face, his school uniform which had previously consisted of a blue vest and white shirt currently left to sit on the ground with bloodstains present on its surface. The teen was currently wearing a plain black shirt and the school pants with his contact lens (as Shamal have noticed) removed, revealing warm brown eyes for the entire world to see.

He looked completely different from how he used to be during _that time_, Shamal remarked.

"…No, it's quite alright." The man has managed to calmly reply with a nod for a greeting. "However…"

His dark brown eyes narrowed sharply and his entire hands moved forward to call forth his Trident Mosquitoes with killing intent radiating off of his entire frame.

The other knew that at that very moment, the notorious assassin - "Trident Shamal" - had taken the man's place.

"What are you doing at a place like this, Vongola Decimo?"

**~X~X~X~X~**

**3 years ago**

**~X~X~X~X~**

_Shamal watched, surprised, as his mosquitoes abruptly halted in midair, appearing as if they had run into some sort of invisible barrier that couldn't possibly be seen by the naked eye. He came into a stop, eyes roaming all over the place to search for the possible cause of the sudden event, only to quickly fall into a defensive position when frost started to bloom from one of his mosquitoes. _

_The effect of that one single occurrence was beautifully cruel, in his opinion._

_From that one mosquito, the frost started to grow larger like a fire simply devouring everything it was near to – which in this case was his mosquitoes -, beautifully yet cruelly engulfing all his Trident Mosquitoes in a captivating manner. _

_This carried on for no less than two seconds until a wall made of frost stood sturdily right in front of the notorious assassin, serving not only as the container and jailer of his Trident Mosquitoes, but an obstruction to the man himself from his target._

_The man who he was paid to assassinate calmly stood with his back turned against him, unsuspecting to how close he had been to being killed._

_"How…" He gasped out as he swung his hand upward to call for more of his weapons, only to jerk to a stop when his wrist was tightly gripped and his hair was harshly pulled backwards, therefore forcing his head to be pulled backwards as well._

_"Don't move." _

_The voice was not necessarily low or mature in terms of pitch and timbre - Was it a woman? A child, perhaps?-, but it was threatening and intimidating, Shamal couldn't help but notice. _

_The hand that was gripping his right wrist was quickly released, only to suddenly hover around his neck with the other hand which was previously holding his hair hovering at the part just behind his neck._

_At the beginning, he had thought that his opponent had purposefully left him unguarded, only to scream hoarsely when he felt burning pain surround the front of his neck when he dared to make a move._

_And just from that one action, he finally realized his current situation._

_A long-ranged fighter who can also fight in a close-ranged combat had lured him into thinking that the man who he was supposed to assassinate was completely defenseless, urging and tempting him to send out his Trident Mosquitoes to complete the assassination. However, the attack had triggered an attack from the fighter who had lured him into sending out his weapons, which was, as he had seen, the long and wide ranged blooming frost. And then, with that realization, Shamal would feel a little confused and attempt to call more of his weapons to test his theory, only to finally be attacked by the opponent himself from behind. _

_It was simple, yet Shamal fell for it._

_Resisting the urge to cradle his neck, he glared fiercely and venomously at the person standing behind him, fingers twitching and subtly making movements to call more of his Trident Mosquitoes only to hear the person talk again and to feel the metallic surface of the gloves hovering around his neck draw nearer with its scorching heat._

_"Didn't you hear me?"_

_Shamal stopped breathing when he felt the metallic gloves draw even closer than it already was._

_"I said 'don't move'."_

_He waited for the pain._

_He waited…_

_And…_

_His eyes snapped open in surprise when the heat was suddenly pulled away._

_Without even questioning the reason for the sudden action, Shamal quickly retracted and withdrew as far as his fatigued body can take him away from the person who had attacked him from behind, his glare wavering ever so slightly when he was faced with a young child standing silently with a green gun pointed at his head by who he remembered as the bearer of the title of the "Strongest among the Strongest"._

_The Sun Arcobaleno; Reborn._

_The child had a white porcelain mask that held no holes, proving that the mask was like a one-way mirror. The child would be granted sight of everything from the outside, but those from the outside wouldn't be able to see what was behind it. The masked child also wore a black suit and though it was dark and raining, the assassin noticed the dark outline of the child's hair which was unruly and wild._

_Feeling his feet land on the surface of the pavement a several feet away from the presence of the two dangerous fighters, he gritted his teeth and spared a glance at the man he was asked to assassinate._

_The Vongola Nono._

_"Why, if it isn't Trident Shamal." The deep baritone voice of the Sun Arcobaleno called out amusedly. _

_The sudden space between the two people – the child and Reborn – made Shamal blink really fast. _

_One had to have really, really sharp and fast eyes to have seen what had transpired between the two._

_The child had pushed his head backwards to dodge the danger of being shot dead by the hitman from his left and he pulled the wrist of the hitman as quickly as he could to throw his aim off-balance while lifting his knee to make a critical hit at the man's middle. However, Reborn had managed to rotate his wrist in an odd angle that would put the aim of the gun right at the child's head while his other hand came up to push the knee down. The child was then forced to exert more force and strength into his grip and he forced his head towards the left to dodge the bullet that flew by his right ear. From the momentum of also having his knee pushed back to the ground by Reborn, he used that force to push himself away from the other. _

_How that happened in the course of a millisecond, Shamal didn't want to know._

_ "Though it is a nice night, I'd have to say that it's time that you leave. Your presence is unwelcomed and your employer is dead; there is no reason for you to proceed with the assassination." The hitman stated loudly, just enough for the assassin to hear it from where he was._

_After hearing that, Shamal ran as fast as he could away from those two monsters, breathing labored and eyes wide._

_Why, you ask?_

_His employer had asked him to eliminate and assassinate the Vongola Nono just a minute before he had launched his attack, meaning that the reason for why his Trident Mosquitoes were able to proceed as far as 5 inches away from the Ninth's back was because the child had just eliminated the employer a few seconds after ending the call._

_Faintly through the sound of pattering rain, he heard Reborn say:_

_"That was a job well-done, wouldn't you agree, Decimo?"_

**~X~X~X~X~**

Tsuna strode through the hallways with his eyebrows furrowed together in deep thought and a hint of a frown pulling at the edges of his lips.

Classes were currently ongoing within Namimori Middle School – the break time having been finished a few minutes ago - but his conversation with Shamal took longer than he had expected it to after finding out that there were certain things that the people from the Headquarters have neglected to tell him.

It might have been because the news was recent and a mere rumor, Tsuna mused for a very short moment, only to throw the mere idea away a second later. Hearing it from Shamal himself proved his theory that the people from the Headquarters in Italy had intentionally didn't notify or tell him about this one particular matter. It might have also been because they believed that he was capable enough to find out the information himself—something that is unlikely, though not as much as the first idea. They would have still affirmed it if it were to be true so the thought of them daring to let him figure out of himself was out of the question.

Stopping in midstride, Tsuna found himself remembering the rest of their conversation from the rooftop.

_ "The influence of the underworld is the weakest here in Namimori, Japan so I am either guessing that you are searching for something that can only be found in a peaceful place like this, or you are currently in the middle of a mission assigned to you by the Ninth himself that can only be done here in Namimori." Shamal had thought out aloud as he watched the brunet blink in surprise. "Though to be honest, both aren't that much different from each other, am I right?"_

_"That is true, I guess…" Tsuna admitted easily._

_Too easily, in Shamal's opinion._

_ "However, wouldn't that mean that it applies to you, too, Trident Shamal?"_

_Shamal took in a deep breath before releasing it in an explosive sigh, eyes darting uneasily at the heap of bloodstained uniform on the ground._

_"…Say, why do you think I'm currently in Japan?" He asked back, his tone serious and grave, indicating that the direction of their conversation was unpleasant._

_"That's a tricky question, isn't it?" The brunet chuckled humorlessly as he bent down to pick the uniform up from the ground while neatly folding it. _

_He looked at Shamal at the corner of his eye, a small, cold smile gracing his features._

_"Even **I** find it hard to believe that you are in Japan because the Queen who you had flirted with has charged you for putting moves on 2082 women simultaneously, therefore forcing you into hiding."_

_Silence fell._

_They both chose not to speak for a few moments, as if they were carefully assessing their next move, their expressions remaining unreadable to both sides._

_And then Shamal spoke._

_"Are you seriously telling me you don't know?"_

_Tsuna's eyes narrowed at the accusing tone._

_"Please do clarify, Shamal-sensei."_

_The 35-year-old man's jaw clenched tightly._

_"What I'm trying to say is that it wasn't the only reason." Shamal's voice remained low and determined, but they bother heard the slight waver in it when he continued. "The Mafia is currently in a state of turmoil after rumors spread that someone had successfully escaped the Vendicare Prison… Of course, the demands for assassinating the convict were high." He took a deep breath and stared at Tsuna right in the eye. "And because I am a known assassin myself, the Varia has recruited me into joining their squad to carry the assassination out." _

_…_

_…_

_…Another round of silence fell._

_And this time, Tsuna's unreadable expression cracked._

Groaning helplessly, the brunet shook his head and continued walking forward with a strained smile on his face. If even _the headquarters_ failed to tell him what was going on, it'll either be none of the Vongola's business, or it'll prove to be very dangerous and perilous for the Familgia.

"Well, since this is _Vendicare _that we are talking about, this is **beyond** dangerous…" He whispered as he stopped in front of the infirmary. "Not to mention…"

Sliding the door open and stepping inside the infirmary while turning around to close it behind him…

"...Who the fuck are you?"

…he had not expected to hear an unfamiliar voice rudely speak from his left.

The brunet's head snapped towards the direction of the voice and his smile stretched further into a bitter grimace when the previously unconscious silver-haired teenager who Shamal had claimed to be his ex-student was seen standing with dynamites tightly held within his fingers, a murderous glare directed solely at Tsuna's direction.

The young candidate slowly twisted around and stiffly raised an arm in the air.

"…Hi there…?" He trailed off softly…

…before screaming for his bloody life when the silver-haired teenager _actually threw_ the dynamites at him.

_…_

_…_

_Well…_

_…_

_…This apparently marks the beginning of a very beautiful friendship._

…

…

…

_…probably._

_..._

_..._

_..._

**TBC**

**A/N: **…O_O

O_O

O_O

*gapes in shock*

I HAVE NO IDEA HOW THE CHAPTER TURNED OUT THIS WAY.

BUT IT WORKS.

PROBABLY.

On a more serious note, I apologize for the slow development of the plot… I'm trying to make things happen as fast as I could without making it seem a little too rushed… ^_^"

Tbh, I'm actually panicking.. ._."

There are so many characters that have yet to be introduced and then there's the plot where they *censor censor censor* and *more censor censor censor* and DAMN IT REALLY IS HARD TO TALK IN HERE WITHOUT SPILLING ANYTHING VITAL ABOUT THE PLOT ( QAQ )

Well guys this chapter is one day late because I had too much fun eating ice cream and sleeping so im sorry for that 24 hour lateness ^^"


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